Oct 21: The Prestige

"The rivalry between two magicians is exacerbated when one of them performs the ultimate illusion."

Directed by: Christopher Nolan, Rated: PG-13, 130 minutes

There have been very few movies about magic that have seen the light of day. Sure, the Harry Potter movies have to deal with witchcraft and wizardry but very few films deal with real magicians  using sleight-of-hand and illusions to wow their audiences. With The Prestige, not only do we see the inner-workings of two stage magicians but we see the lengths these two men will go to discover the other's tricks while maintaining their own secrecy. It's a terrific look at an obsession that really ruins two men and turns the story of magic into something much more relatable than a rabbit coming out of a hat. 

Who wants to watch THIS for two hours?

Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are two magicians working together under Milton (Ricky Jay). As time goes on, each man is given a chance to show off his own ability and the two begin developing their own shows. After a magic trick of Milton's goes terribly wrong (at the possible fault of Borden), the two split course and go in different directions, Borden finding his own place on stage and Angier, haunted by the tragedy, vowing to ruin Borden, who has apparently come up with the world's greatest trick. Angier requests the help of Cutter (Michael Caine) to discover the secret behind Borden's "Transporting Man" illusion, a trick that appears to involve some sort of teleportation. As Angier becomes more obsessed with discovering the secrets, he goes to great lengths to replicate the trick, using a double and then eventually a machine created by Nikola Tesla (David Bowie). Layer upon layer is slowly peeled away and we, as the audience, are torn between the two men, never knowing which side to truly embrace. 

Seriously, why isn't David Bowie in everything!?

The Prestige is a masterful look at the lengths obsession can lead and the tolls it takes on the personal lives of these two men. At first, Angier is thought to be the hero but as his fall into this obsession grows deeper, he becomes lost in the mess. Borden is a man who just wants to have a family but a part of him pulls him away, forcing him to sacrifice many aspects of his life in order to maintain the illusion he's been running for years. It's quite tragic and as you see him give up more, you begin to understand and support what he does. A large part of how this teeter-tottering of heroes is attributed to the incredible performances given by both Jackman and Bale. Bale, comfortable with director Christopher Nolan, is at his best, expressing both arrogance (at first) and eventually, pathos, as more is revealed. His character's progression is amazing to watch and by the film's end, you're almost completely on his side. Jackman is in perhaps his finest role and he shows us that he's more than a beefcake laced with Adamantium. He's a hero we all can cheer for, given the circumstances, and seeing his fall from grace is that much harder to watch. Both men continually go at each other on stage and off, and the literal war that develops between them pulls you back forth. Neither man outshines or out-acts the other and this really plays into the actual story. 

Batman vs. Wolverine proves to be incredibly interesting. 

The Prestige is a dark and pretty depressing little movie. The characters feel genuinely real and very human and the situations they're put into receive reactions I feel most people would share in themselves. Obsession wraps itself around these individuals and the lengths they go to uncover and hide secrets is entertaining to watch, but also heartbreaking. One man is desperate to unveil a secret while the other is desperate enough to keep one hidden. It's a genius little cat and mouse game that turns into a violent duel and many casualties are caught up in between the mess. At the film's conclusion, there is no obvious "winner" as both men have deteriorate plenty and have sacrificed a lot already. The Prestige is not all about the magic as much as it is about the mentalities and personalities of these two men and questions how far is too far when trying to one-up the other. It's a terrific film that solidifies itself towards the top of Christopher Nolan's filmography. I would highly recommend it. 

The Good:

the countless "illusions" that leave you guessing, even when you have a rough idea of where everything MAY be heading

The Better:

as sad as it is, seeing the lengths two men will go to be the best does prove entertaining in the mystery 

The Best:

incredible acting by not only its two leads, but by the many recognizable supporting actors

9.0/10

Trailer:

Oct 12: Equilibrium

"In a Fascist future where all forms of feeling are illegal, a man in charge of enforcing the law rises to overthrow the system."

Directed by: Kurt Wimmer, Rated: R, 107 minutes

Dark City, The Matrix, Equilibrium- all three of these films are similar in style and theme, and you've probably only heard of one of them. While The Matrix blew us all away with great visuals and an incredibly unique story, it overshadowed two other great films that came out within a few years of one another. Dark City actually came first, using large set pieces later recycled in The Matrix. In 2002, Equilibrium took some of what made The Matrix great, and added its own twist, with a heavy 1984 feeling, where Big Brother reigns supreme. This is the fourth or fifth time I've seen this movie and it just gets better and better. 

His eyes follow you... Wait, that makes sense. 

The film follows John Preston (Christian Bale), a cleric in a futuristic society where emotion is kept at bay in hopes of avoiding war and conflict. A cleric in the society is someone that enforces those rules and makes sure that no one feels anything and that any resistance to the government is immediately struck down. In the society, a drug known as Prozium helps control the feelings and emotions of the people and keeps everything in check, just as much as the clerics. When Preston misses his daily dose, he begins to feel things he hasn't felt before and appreciate the beauty in the smallest things. As the only man on the "inside" who has access to practically everything, Preston proves to be an incredibly valuable asset to the growing underground resistance and he must decide whether to join the rebels or continue the job he's done for years. 

This is exactly how I look when I wake up in the middle of the night. 

Equilibrium is one of the first looks we have at seeing Christian Bale as an action star. He's one of the few actors out there you can not only kick ass but bring some talent to the screen as well. He does a fine job in the role of Preston, and seeing his layers slowly peel away as he feels more and more is even more interesting. However, the best part of Equilibrium is the action. The clerics use a technique known as Gun Kata, a style of fighting that blends marksmanship and Kung Fu. Sure, this sounds a little ridiculous, but once you see it on screen, you're immediately sold. Imagine going against someone, where the gun not only adds weight to your hands, but goes off inches from your face and body, bringing a whole new lethality to hand-to-hand combat. Each action sequence is choreographed with such skill you can't help but marvel in it all. Hell, as dangerous as it is, it also looks very fun. It's also worth mentioning that Equilibrium has one of the largest body counts in a movie I have ever seen and the climactic fight towards the end sees plenty of bodies hitting the floor. It's all sorts of awesome.

Oh yeah, did I mention there's mother f**king swords too!? Seriously, why haven't you seen this movie?

With a supporting cast that includes the likes of Sean Bean, Taye Diggs, William Fichtner, Emily Watson, and Angus Macfadyen, Equilibrium gets even better. It's a film I would highly recommend and if you haven't seen it already, I encourage you to go out and find it. It's a very easily forgotten film, coming out in a time when Bale wasn't as popular as he was today and a marketing campaign that too closely resembled The Matrix. Equilibrium is a great film on its own and deserves a look, if anything for the action alone. Post-The Dark Knight Trilogy, revisiting an older Christian Bale movie is just as fun as seeing him take on the cowl, and it's always a nice reminder of where he came from. 

The Good:

a solid script that takes familiar themes into new places

The Better:

Christian Bale, Sean Bean, and Taye Diggs all being their awesome selves, bringing their charisma and badass-ness to their roles

The Best:

action sequences that are so awesome and so unique, you can't help but remember it all- and Gun Kata is so damn cool

Overall: 8.2/10

Trailer:

July 20: The Dark Knight Rises

"Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy."

Directed by: Christopher Nolan, Rated: PG-13, 164 minutes

The Dark Knight Rises is the final installment in what will now go down as one of the greatest trilogies of all time. It's hard to believe that just seven years ago, Christopher Nolan resurrected The Caped Crusader with Batman Begins and it's even harder to believe that it's now all over. And boy, what a conclusion it is. The Dark Knight Rises is massive, on a scale never seen before. While The Dark Knight will probably be looked back upon as the strongest film in the series, The Dark Knight Rises will be remembered as one of the greatest conclusions in modern film history. Yes, it has plenty of flaws (the middle is a bit of a mess), but when the parts all come together the way they do, and the series comes to a beautiful finale, all is forgiven. 

Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, TDKR shows Gotham in a time of peace, where a law set in place locks up criminals much easier than before. Batman's been missing the entire time, as the police and the public look at him as a murderer. Bruce Wayne has become a recluse, hiding in his mansion and refusing to make any kind of public appearance. His body is clearly worn out as well, and the billionaire playboy limps through life with a cane. The toll of being Batman clearly has taken a toll on Bruce, physically and mentally. He's a shadow of who he was, both as a man and the hero. Unfortunately for Gotham, a time of peace can never last and one can consider it the calm before the storm. Enter Bane (Tom Hardy), an absolute beast of a man, with unimaginable brute strength that tears through anyone, or anything, in his path. The man has a plan and there is seemingly nothing that can stop him. As Bane descends upon Gotham with his army of soldiers, Bruce must contemplate whether or not to return to the cowl, and if Gotham is even ready for him to return. There is also the beautiful Selina Kyle (played with the perfect combination of sass and sexy by Anne Hathaway), a cat-burglar who is using the time of peace to steal from the rich and eke out a living any way a girl can. Of course, Bruce still has his allies, as both Alfred (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) have not given up on the man. While Alfred hopes that Bruce will leave the symbol behind and move on in his life, Lucius continues to produce gadgets and vehicles Batman could add to his arsenal. As for Batman, his ally in Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) remains steadfast, as the two have shared a dark secret over the last eight years. Gordon has turned the Gotham Police Department into a great task force against crime, but he's always weary and on alert that all of that can change in an instant. Enter John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a young "hothead" cop who knows that there's never a time to relax and that the fight on crime is constant, even when it's just petty thieves and criminals. As everything around all of these characters begins to fall apart, and the city falls into chaos, each person plays a vital role in what happens. 

The Dark Knight Rises uses incredible set pieces and larger than life settings to completely bring Gotham to life. It really is one of the country's greatest, and largest cities and it's in this film that we really see how connected it is to the world we know. Just like New York City, Boston, San Francisco, and LA, Gotham has it's own character (it even has its own football team). Nolan uses every block and every building to his advantage, and when something on this large of a scale falls apart, the emotional effect is even stronger. We see the city lay in ruin with all hope seemingly lost and you really feel anxious for everyone on screen. Once the action gets going, there's a terrible sense of dread throughout the movie and there is very little that can be expected. Gotham is at war and The Dark Knight Rises is an incredibly unflinching look at what could easily happen in the real world. 

The Dark Knight Rises is more than just a Batman film. It's really a story about people doing whatever it takes to survive and it just so happens that a man in a black suit is at the center of it all. The cast of characters is much greater than its predecessors and thus, is all about the performances by the actors and actresses that embody these roles. Christian Bale is at his best and The Dark Knight Rises really gives him a lot of time to play the emotional, human side to Batman. A large focus of the film is Bale as Bruce, and the heart-breaking struggles he faces. Of course, a hero is only as good as the evil he faces and Tom Hardy delivers an absolutely terrifying performance as Bane. Hardy is a masked brute that tells his story with his massive muscles and his evil eyes. Imagine a circus and the villains of The Dark Knight Trilogy. Ra's al Ghul is the ringleader, opening the show with a message, giving a vague idea of what is to come. The first act, Scarecrow, disrupts the normality of things and fogs the senses, giving false illusions to what is actually going on. Then, The Joker appears. He has a thing for the theatrical and demands attention. He throws the show into chaos, disrupting the order of things ever so slightly, but enough to leave a lasting impression. He's the entirety of the circus, both the main event and the sideshow. Then, just as everything seems like it's over and the show is ready to pack up and move on, Bane enters and tears everything apart, taking the show hostage. He transforms the circus into something entirely different, changing spectacle into horror. As the tent falls down, nothing is safe, and what was expected is something entirely different. 

The Dark Knight Rises is not a perfect film, but it's a perfect ending to an incredible story told across three different movies. It wraps up everything completely, referencing both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight to great effect. There is a huge feeling of satisfaction at the conclusion and it really feels like the journey is complete. The last ten minutes alone will leave many dazed and amazed, and will certainly go down in history as one of the greatest finales of all time. Christopher Nolan created a detailed, gritty, realistic world with Batman Begins, and by the end of The Dark Knight Rises, the world feels both entirely explored and invested in. It's quite the accomplishment in, not only story-telling, but film-making. It sets the bar incredibly high for the future. It's brave, it's bold, and it's incredibly memorable. 

The Good:

a fitting finale for Batman, his allies, and his city

The Better:

a story's final chapter that plays out wonderfully on an ambitious scale with fierce brutality and packed full of emotion

The Best:

seeing the trilogy as an entire story, and how perfectly everything comes together when looked at as a whole

Overall: 9.5/10

Trailer:

July 19: The Dark Knight

"When Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent launch an assault on the mob, they let the clown out of the box, the Joker, bent on turning Gotham on itself and bringing any heroes down to his level."

Directed by: Christopher Nolan, Rated: PG-13, 152 minutes

While Batman Begins is a quiet little masterpiece, The Dark Knight is one for the ages. It's an instant classic that fuses both genius film-making and incredible storytelling, all on an epic scale like nothing you've ever seen before. It's the purest of films that ignites something in all of us, whether you're already a fan of The Caped Crusader or not. The Dark Knight is not merely a superhero movie, but a sprawling crime epic that pits the purest of good versus the most chaotic of evil, and puts the battle on a massive stage. Batman Begins is simply the portal to The Dark Knight, and once you pass over the threshold, the movie opens up into an expansive world, inhabited by people just like us, struggling to survive in a world of the corrupt and insane. Everything about The Dark Knight is bigger than before and the heights it reaches are of epic proportions. Even then, it's not just about the action sequences, as the heart of it all consists of incredible performances and a story so simple yet so complex, that sees how badly the world needs a hero like Batman. 

The Dark Knight introduces us to Batman's greatest foe- The Joker. Some can argue that you can't have one without the other, and the movie plays on this idea incredibly well. While Batman is morally good, the Joker is a chaotic evil that simply "wants to watch the world burn". One is driven by the determination to do good, no matter what the cost, while the other is out to destroy everything he can. It's really what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, and the calamity that ensues is both brutal and visceral. Of course, this game is only as good as its players. Heath Ledger gives one of the greatest performances in movie history as The Joker. Everything about him, from his facial tics, to his mannerisms and his voice, become The Killer Clown. Every moment he's on screen, you're enthralled and cannot look away no matter how hard you try. Every line he utters is instantly a classic and is just as memorable as the performance. Unfortunately for Ledger, this performance was his swan song and it leaves you aching for more. The man is the rare breed of talent that comes along once in a lifetime, and The Joker embodies every ounce of it. The only downfall to his acting is the fact that he overshadows the rest of a very large cast. Christian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne/Batman but, unlike in Batman Begins, he's more of a man in the suit than the soul behind the cowl. There is not as much focus on his Bruce Wayne alter-ego as there was in the past, but we still are able to see him struggling with the symbol that he created and his search for a replacement that the city can look to in times of darkness. It's in that search that Wayne finds Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Gotham's district attorney whose mission is to rid the streets of crime and bring swift justice for all of those responsible. He's the White Knight of Gotham. Eckhart plays the part beautifully and his inevitable downfall and transformation into the villain Two-Face is not only tragic, but hard to watch. Eckhart is a man who's known for his nice, charismatic, guy roles and seeing him fall from grace is not only different, but a nice change of pace. Returning to all of their roles are Morgan Freeman (as Lucius Fox), Michael Caine (as Alfred), and Gary Oldman (Jim Gordon), each in a bigger part than Batman Begins. Before, each man owned the role, but this time around, they really are the men they play, and are even bigger allies to Batman. 

Brilliance is not enough to describe this Academy Award winning actor. 

The Dark Knight is Christopher Nolan's greatest film, and with a filmography that includes Memento, Inception, and The Prestige, that's saying a lot. Like I said before, the film pushes the boundaries of film-making, combining real sets and live effects with the most minimal amounts of CGI. While Batman Begins felt contained and restricted to what it could do, The Dark Knight breaks out and the city becomes another character in the film. Everything about the movie feels real and tangible, and Nolan truly turns Chicago into Gotham. In this increased scale, Batman and the villains are free to explore (or destroy) the city, and the size of the populous adds a sense of urgency to everything that's going on. Time plays a crucial part in the film, and we're reminded that Batman is simply one man and cannot be everywhere at once, while The Joker, "an agent of chaos", seemingly has the means to do just that. This contrast, in fact, is the perfect example of how easy it is for man to fall to darkness and how Batman's cause is far greater (and harder) than one can imagine. It's this theme that really is center of the story and it's what makes the story so masterful. Every man has a price, and a limit, and The Dark Knight tests every character's strength. How can one man- one symbol, put together everything that falls apart, while maintaining a moral code and keeping everyone safe?

I really, really, love this film and can't recommend it enough. Whenever asked what my favorite movies are, The Dark Knight is always at the top of the list. While I try to remain unbiased toward the film, re-watching it only confirms my feelings. It's as close to perfect as any movie I've seen and takes someone we are all familiar with to new heights and places we could never imagine. With a stellar cast, led by the phenomenal Heath Ledger, an unforgettable score by Hans Zimmer, and set pieces you could only ever imagine, The Dark Knight is the masterpiece Batman deserves. 

The Good:

a story with balls, never relenting on the physical and mental punishment that Batman suffers, and going places you'd think would be taboo for a summer blockbuster

The Better:

the massive scale on which that story is told, incorporating both real settings and effects 

The Best:

Heath Ledger delivering one of the greatest performances in cinematic history

Overall: 9.9/10

Trailer:

July 18: Batman Begins- 200th Review

"Bruce Wayne loses his philanthropic parents to a senseless crime, and years later becomes the Batman to save the crime-ridden Gotham City on the verge of destruction by an ancient order."

Directed by: Christopher Nolan, Rated: PG-13, 140 minutes

How fitting it is that my 200th review is the first film in an epic franchise that concludes this Friday with The Dark Knight Rises. Where do I start when discussing Batman Begins? It's the film that re-introduces one of the world's greatest superheroes and turns him into a legend of epic proportions. The film made Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale both house-hold names and set the precedent for not only superhero movies, but film as a whole. It combines both excellent story-telling and great spectacle, and shows that a blockbuster movie doesn't need to be all about the visuals. Batman Begins is a film that never loses itself in its scale, and knows that it's human emotion at the heart of the story. Batman is more than just a man in a suit and Nolan paints a tragic, yet beautiful portrait of the soul in the cowl- Bruce Wayne (Bale). 

He's also our rippest Batman, yet. 

With most superhero movies lately, the biggest flaw is the re-telling of the origin story, or how so-and-so became the hero. With Batman Begins, the origin story is turned on it's side, as it delves into the actual process Bruce goes through to become The Dark Knight. He's a man-made hero and we witness him training and learning how to not only fight with his fists, but with his mind and ideas. Unlike most origin stories, however; scenes of his training are intertwined with those of his homecoming to Gotham and even flashbacks to his childhood. It's all broken up very well and not one story gets too tedious. It's a unique way to build Bruce's character and we see how flawed a character the man really is. He's not perfect, but he's determined, and it's in that determination that a hero emerges. He's not from a distant planet, he's not bitten by a radioactive spider, and he's not in some accident involving toxic waste or a failed experiment. We literally see his creation every step of the way, from his suit and utility belt, to his own version of the Batmobile. His power is his muscle and his mind, all of which he pushes to the limits. It's in this humanity and realism of Batman Begins that the movie flourishes. Gotham is a city destroyed by crime, not by supernatural forces or super-powered villains, but simply by bad men with bad intentions. 

Ras al Ghul is the leader (also Bruce's mentor) of the League of Shadows, a secret organization that claims to be involved in the rise and fall of countless civilizations. In the eyes of Ras al Ghul, Gotham is a city on the verge of destroying itself and must be destroyed to not only save itself, but prevent the spread of it's evil. When Bruce gets wind of this news, he escapes his training grounds in Asia and returns home. He sees that the city is indeed not what he remembers it to be, and knows that something must be done. Bruce designs a symbol, inspired by his own fears, to take to the streets of Gotham. He knows that if he can create a persona, or even an idea, that's strong enough to evoke fear into the hearts of Gotham's criminals, things will get better. Thus, Batman, his symbol, is born. As Batman fights the criminal and the corrupt, he discovers that the man behind it all is Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson), who owns half the city through payoffs and fear. If Batman can take down Falcone, he knows he can take down the mob. However, even the mob has it's tricks and Falcone has Dr. Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy), a psychologist who has a rather unusual way of "treating" his patients. Using a neurological toxin, Crane has the power to expose the hidden fears in everyone, and as the League of Shadows takes claim to Gotham, Crane relishes in the chaos and panic. Batman must face a great challenge before he can even make a dent in Gotham's crime. Of course, a hero is only as strong as his allies, and Batman has not only the loyal and wise Alfred (Michael Caine), but the courageous and honest Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman), the beautiful Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes), and the inventive Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). 

There's so many good things about Batman Begins, it's hard to pinpoint any specific moment that elevates it to greatness. The realism is its biggest strength, and understanding that a man has the power and determination to become a hero makes it so much better. It also helps that the movie has a pitch-perfect cast, with each actor filling their respective role brilliantly. Bale not only becomes the suave, playboy Bruce, but the heroic, badass Batman. Michael Caine lends his natural sophistication and knowledge to Alfred. Gary Oldman, usually a chameleon in his roles, stands his ground as Gordon and makes you want to give every honest cop you know a hug. Morgan Freeman owns the role of Lucius Fox, a character that was all too unfamiliar before the film. Liam Neeson is the perfect mentor and teacher and, even if his cause seems immoral, you can't help but wonder if he's right. Cillian Murphy borders the thin line between genius and psychotic brilliantly. It's the sum of its parts that makes Batman Begins a masterpiece, and without any of these men in their roles, it would not be the same. Even the smallest characters add a lot to the film and I have got to give recognition to Linus Roache who gives a small, but incredibly effective performance as Bruce's dad, Thomas. 

He has less than five minutes of screen time but is so damn good in his role. He has an intangible characteristic that makes him shine, and every time I watch the movie I can't help but wish he was in it even more. 

Batman Begins is a quiet little masterpiece. In retrospect, it's a little difficult watching the film without realizing its importance as a precursor to The Dark Knight. However, even then, it's a strong film on its own and a beautifully dark introduction to the world's favorite hero. Christopher Nolan is a great director, and while Batman Begins is nowhere near the scale as its sequels, its self-contained, emotionally driven story turns it into something much bigger. I can't recommend this movie enough and I cannot wait for the trilogy's epic conclusion this weekend. 

The Good:

Christian Bale is Batman, I don't care what anyone says

The Better:

a realistic approach at one of the world's most recognized and loved superheros, giving Batman the dark, gritty tone he deserves 

The Best:

along with Bale, a phenomenal cast that rises to each and every occasion, owning his/her respective roles without any doubt

Overall: 9.4/10

Trailer:

July 16: The Flowers of War

"A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety."

Directed by: Yimou Zhang, Rated: R, 146 minutes

The Flowers of War is a tragically beautiful drama telling the story about a conflict not many of us know about. In the winter of 1937, Japanese soldiers captured the Chinese city of Nanking. During their occupation, the Japanese brutally raped and murdered hundreds of thousands of people and massacred the city. Although this part of history isn't the most touched upon in the United States, it's a very emotional conflict in China. The Flowers of War is an emotional depiction of the massacre, told through the innocent eyes of a bunch of school girls trying to survive in a church, while buildings are destroyed and people are slaughtered right outside the doors. While this tragedy is far worse than what's depicted in The Flowers of War, the film does an excellent job focusing on one particular group of people. In times of war, most people forget how much the women and children suffer and, while the film has plenty of moments showing the war on the battlefield, it's the closer to home aspects that pack the emotional punch. 

A very intense opening sequence shows three young girls running from the Japanese, avoiding gunfire and explosions

The Flowers of War tells the story of John Miller (Christian Bale), an American mortician who's caught up in the conflict and poses as a priest at a church that's become a sanctuary for its students. The church holds a dozen young girls and a boy named George (Tianyuan Huang), who has stayed behind to protect them. After a group of colorful prostitutes seek a safe haven in the house of God as well, John takes it upon himself to protect all of them, trying his hardest to shield them from the eyes of the Japanese army. As the dynamic between the two very different groups and the lack of food collide, tension rises inside the church and Miller must not only find a way for them to escape, but a way to provide for them as well. As the events unfold, John's relationship with one of the prostitutes, Yu Mo (the incredible Ni Ni), blossoms and the two gradually fall in love. Even through all of the devastation and destruction around them, the two find something beautiful in each other and realize the importance of everyone around them. Unfortunately for the girls, a Japanese commander learns that they are all part of a choir, and wants to bring them to a "party" for his soldiers and superiors. John and the older women all know that if the girls attend the party, they will most certainly never return, and it becomes a race against time to figure a way out of the horrible situation. 

The gorgeous Ni Ni delivers the film's best performance

The Flowers of War is China's highest grossing movie of all time. Directed by Yimou Zhang (Hero, House of Flying Daggers), the film is as much a visual feast as it is an emotional toll. Zhang manages to combine the brutality of warfare with the beauty of innocence in a remarkable way. For instance, a stained glass window in the church plays a prominent role throughout the film. As a colorful backdrop in a very grim world, it represents hope and faith that there is a way out. However, even beautiful things can lead to deadly places, and bullets fly through the window, reminding us that a war is indeed going on right outside. Zhang also employs the use of a single take, in a very important scene, that leaves you wondering how it was even filmed. With the dark, depressing backdrop, this scene reminded me a lot of similar ones used in Children of Men, to equal effect. However, although masterful in his work, Zhang gets a little carried away with camera tricks and setting up beautiful scenes. There's a little too much focused on making things look pretty and, although for the most part adding to the film, it gets a little overboard as the movie progresses. 

The Flowers of War also features one of the greatest snipers I've seen in a movie and his duel against a battalion of Japanese soldiers is one of the biggest highlights of the film

Even with its few flaws, I would highly recommend The Flowers of War. It's a tragic reminder of a past that's gone and forgotten in our history and a brutal look at how horrible man can be to one another. Along with the history lesson, The Flowers of War gives us great performances by the young Chinese actresses, and the gorgeous Ni Ni steals the show. Even through the tragedy happening around her, she's always smiling and staying strong for the sake of her friends and the younger girls that look up to her. She illuminates the screen every time she's on it, and her colorful personality contrasts beautifully with the dark backdrop. While Bale plays the English-speaking lead, he's not as remarkable as he usually is and his performance is, at best, good. Even then, I highly suggest giving this film your undivided time and attention. 

The Good:

heart-wrenching performances by an incredibly young cast, led by the beautiful Ni Ni

The Bad:

the director's sometimes distracting use of "too much beauty" and the focus on making everything look a lot prettier than the subject matter warrants

The Ugly:

a reminder of how evil man can be and the harm one person can conflict on another

Overall: 7.8/10

Trailer: